Burning Desire
by CharmingRaven
Summary: Melody Winston has returned from a five year stint in state prison for arson. The club owes her and loves her but she's been known to be a bit of a loose cannon. What does her return mean for the club? AU, no pairing have been decided on yet. Pairings and Rating to be determined. Please give it a chance and let me know what you think, good or bad.
1. Chapter 1

**First story on this site. This one is in its infancy stage but I would like to hear your comments and suggestions! I do not own Sons of Anarchy or any of the characters you recognize. My O/C is mine. In case you are wondering, my OC Mel looks similar to Missy Peregrym. Again, please let me know what you think! No pairings are set at this point so if you have an opinion, don't be afraid to share!**

The garage door rolled up and the brunette couldn't help but smile. It had been five long years since she had seen the love of her life. There she was though, looking just as beautiful as the first day Mel ever saw her. Mel had only been eighteen years old but even then she knew she was in love. Even then, she knew she was the one. Mel took a step forward and felt butterflies start fluttering around in her stomach.

"Mel, it's just a car." The brunette turned back and gave her brother a scowl. To Mel, it wasn't just a car. It was her car. It was her 1978 Datsun 280z. It didn't look like much more than a clean, classic car to most people but she'd managed to pack over 300 horses under the hood. With that car and Mel behind the wheel, they could beat just about anyone around.

"Keys?" Mel asked, choosing not to waste her breath educating her brother on the masterpiece she believed her car to be. If it had more than two wheels, he wasn't that interested. She recognized the key ring he pulled out of his pocket but instead of handing them over, he paused. "What? Come on, I want to go take a drive. I've been away from her longer than I've owned her."

"There's a homecoming party for you on Friday. Everyone is kind of expecting you to be there." Mel looked up at the ceiling of the garage and sighed. Less than three days out of prison and she was already being told when to be where. "Come on, they want to thank you, again."

"I don't need gratitude. I need my keys." Mel held out her hand and looked her brother in the eyes. He shook his head in surrender and dropped the keys onto her palm. "I'll try to come by. Okay, Opie?"

"Yeah, alright. Just be careful, Mel. My number is in your cell if you need me." He said, pulling his sister into a hug. She reluctantly wrapped her arms around him for a brief second before he let her go. Mel opened the door and tossed her bag into the passenger seat before climbing behind the steering wheel. She ran her palms over the leather wrapped wheel a couple times before gripping it tightly at ten and two. Opie smiled as she started the car up and let out a little laugh. It was good to have her back.

Driving her car out of her brother's garage finally gave her that feeling of freedom she'd been longing for since going to prison. She had been out for two days already, eating what she wanted when she wanted and making her own decisions but it wasn't until she heard the steady rumble of the engine and felt the head thrown back power of the car that Mel really considered herself free. There was no destination, no plan. It was just her, the car and the road. That's how she preferred it.

"Is she going to skip her own party?" Donna asked as she handed Opie a bottle of beer. The night was young and the party wasn't in full swing yet but no one had heard from Mel since the day after she got home. Opie shrugged and flipped the bottle cap into a pail behind the bar.

"She didn't exactly ask for it." Opie said, glancing over at his wife. She and Gemma had been the ones driving the club to make the night's party about Mel. Sure, the club was grateful for what she'd done but they knew she might need some time. Donna and Gemma didn't get that, they couldn't really be expected to since they'd never served any real time for the club. Mel had though.

The music got louder as the clubhouse got more crowded. The whole club was there along with hang-arounds, sweetbutts and friends of the club but several hours into the party, there was still no Mel. Opie wasn't surprised and it didn't seem like anyone besides Donna and Gemma really expected her to show. Still, he glanced at the door anytime someone would walk in and half-listened for the unmistakable sound of her car.

A couple miles down the road, Mel was still trying to decide if she was going to the party or not. She had taken the time to get somewhat dressed up and had blown her hair out, but she still wasn't sure. Before she went to prison, she wouldn't miss a party for almost anything. She loved the energy, the chaos of it all. With a deep breath, she pulled out of her driveway and headed down to the clubhouse. She decided to at least make an appearance, not that the party would be affected if she'd stayed home and ordered a pizza.

The lot of Teller-Morrow brought back a lot of memories, mostly good but some bad to. She turned her car around and backed it up to the first garage bay door, not trusting her beloved around car doors opened by drunks on their way home. Mel cut the engine and put her keys in the glove box. TM was the last place someone would steal a car from but she didn't want to just leave the keys in the ignition like an invitation. She passed a few familiar faces on the fringe of the party but didn't stop to catch up. She wanted a drink first.

"Mel! You made it!" Donna had seen her sister-in-law as soon as she walked into the clubhouse. Her dark brown hair was a little shorter and shapely than she'd seen it two days ago and instead of jeans and a t-shirt, Mel was wearing pair of black, denim shorts and a low-cut tank top with leather piping around the neck and sleeve holes. Donna gave her a hug before taking her by the hand and leading her towards the bar where Opie was sitting with Jax and a couple others. "Do you want a beer?"

"Please." Mel said, feeling a little overwhelmed by the crowd. It wasn't out of the norm for club parties but Mel wasn't used to it anymore. Aside from chow, there were rarely more than fifteen inmates out of their cells at one time. It was something she was going to have to get used to. Opie gave her a nod and a smile.

"Welcome home, Mel." Jax said with the same smile Mel had seen a million times when they were growing up. She nodded and managed a weak grin. Her senses were starting to get overwhelmed. There were people all around her and she could barely hear herself think. Donna handed her a beer and Mel tried to focus on it.

"Melody Winston as I live and breathe!" Clay boomed. Mel flinched a little but noone seemed to catch it. She turned around and gave Clay her best, fake smile. He had a fat cigar between his teeth and Gemma under his arm. The queen stepped forward and gave Mel a hug and kiss on the cheek.

"Hey, it's good to be home." Mel said before taking a long drink and finishing her first beer.

"If you need anything, we're here for you." Gemma said with a look back at Clay. He agreed with a nod. Mel nodded, lost as to what to say next. She pulled her cigarettes out of her back pocket.

"I'm going to take a smoke. Thanks for the party. It's great." Mel knew everyone could probably tell she didn't fully mean it. She appreciated the gesture but she wasn't having a good time. She constantly felt the need to look over her shoulder and her head was starting to ache from the music. Opie watched as she snaked her way through the crowd and finally walked out of the building.

"She okay?" Jax asked, looking from the door to Opie. He knew how he felt after getting out of Stockton after one year so he could imagine she was going through some shit after five. "I told Mom to just have a dinner for her or something."

"She'll be alright. Just give her some space." Opie knew that at one point Jax had something for his twin sister. It had been years ago, after Tara and before Wendy but he still didn't like it. Jax was his best friend but he knew what kind of man he was. He would take a bullet for his brother but he had a bad habit of putting his dick where it didn't belong. Opie didn't care who Jax fucked, so long as it wasn't Mel.

Mel held her cigarette between her lips as she searched her center console for a lighter. When she came up empty handed, she moved on to her glove box. With a groan, she closed it and climbed back out of the car.

"Need a light?" Mel tried to remember who the man was. She had seen him before she went to prison but only a couple times and they had never spoken before. When he smiled, it all came back to her. Juice. He was Jax's prospect from New York. His prospect period had just started a few months before Mel was arrested. Juice offered her a lighter.

"Thanks." She said around her cigarette as she lit it. It was her first cigarette since she got out. It was also the first time she'd come in close contact with fire since the night she was arrested. She kept the lighter lit for a second, just watching the dancing, orange flame. Juice raised his brow, wondering what the girl was staring at the lighter for. He didn't remember her. Mel shook her head and removed her thumb from the button and handed the lighter back to Juice. "When did you patch in?"

"Huh?" Juice wasn't expecting that. He'd been checking out her legs when she asked him. His eyes flew up to her light green eyes, hoping she didn't realize he had been checking her out. "Uh, three years ago."

"Damn, what'd you do to have that long of a prospect time?" Mel asked with a light laugh. She realized that may have bruised his ego and decided to change the subject quickly. "You don't remember me, do you?"

"Uh." He had been racking his brain, trying to remember if she was someone he'd fucked and never called or something like that. He thought he might remember not calling someone who looked like her though. She laughed and he blinked.

"Melody Winston." She said, offering her hand to him. "Don't worry, it's been a while and you came around about the time I left."

"Oh, shit. Yeah, this party is for you." Juice said with a laugh. Mel chuckled and shook her head. Mel was somewhat of a legend with the croweaters and she had the club's utmost respect. He realized why she was staring at the flame like that.

"Trust me, I'm pretty sure the party would have gone on with or without me. Thanks for the light though." Mel said, blowing out a trail of smoke towards the stars above them. Juice nodded and glanced at the car she had gotten out of one more time. Mel caught him looking at it and raised her brow. "That's why you're out here and not enjoying the party?"

"Yeah. There was one that always parked down the block from my Mom's house. It didn't look as good as yours does though." He said. The car in front him had flawless, silver paint where the car back in New York had green paint and rust spots on the trunk and door. Still, he'd always been enamored by that car.

"She wasn't always that good looking. It took some work." Mel opened the driver's door and popped the hood. "This is the best part though."

Juice whistled as he looked over the immaculate engine bay. Unlike a lot of engine bays, her 280z had the wires tucked away neatly. The motor and turbo sat in the bay like a totem on a shrine. Mel smiled proudly as he admired the car.

"What are you getting at the wheels?" Juice asked. He looked up at the woman and wondered if she was really as crazy as he'd heard. He wasn't a poster child for sanity but the stories he'd heard about Mel were just, well, crazy.

"Last dyno was 315. That's been a few years ago though. She needs some maintenance before she could touch that again." Mel said with a shrug. It was nothing she couldn't handle. Juice took a step back, so she went ahead and closed the hood, taking care to secure the hood-pins back.

"Juicy! What are ya doin' out here brother? The party's inside." Mel smiled at Chibs and gave him a little wave. He shook his head and took her hand. She laughed when he put a kiss on top of her hand. "Melody oh Melody! I was wonderin' if I'd see ya tonight. Ya look good."

"Thanks. I didn't have much to do besides work out." Mel admitted. Chibs nodded and gave her hand a squeeze before letting it go. "Sorry I kept Juice, he was just looking at Holly."

"Aye, can't blame him. Let me know if ya need any help tuning her up." Chibs knew she didn't need help but he still hoped she might ask. They were friends before she got locked up and he knew all too well how isolated one could feel after a time in prison. "Are you coming back to the party, Mel?"

"Nah. It's a little much right now. I'm going to head home but I'll probably come by when you have a garage bay open." Mel said, opening the car door and resting her arm on the roof. She wanted to get back on the road for a few more days. Aside from changing for the party, she hadn't even been home. Her plan was to sleep in her old bed for the night and hit the road again in the morning. Charming was her home, she couldn't imagine calling any other place home. She just wanted some more miles under her belt before she got back in a routine at home.

Mel dropped her keys on the kitchen table and pulled her boots off. She felt more relaxed after the short drive home. Walking into her silent, empty house was even better. She didn't have to fake smiles for anyone or try to talk over loud music. She walked into her bedroom and stripped out of the shorts and tank. Her palm brushed the scar on her stomach as she unbuttoned her shorts. At one time, she had hoped that the scar would go away with time. Eventually, she accepted it as part of who she was. As with every scar, there was a story behind Mel's but she refused to talk about it. Only three people knew where that scar came from, including Mel herself.

After a shower and drying her hair, Mel got into bed and closed her eyes. She was having trouble going to sleep after getting home. She heard every creak of her house settling in and it had her on edge. It took about an hour but her mind finally gave in and let her fall asleep. Mel slept with her hand resting on her 9mm underneath the pillow beside her head, just in case.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Mel walked into Gemma Teller's house with her hands in the back pockets of her jeans. She glanced around, taking in the memories that the house threw at her. Gemma glanced back at the younger woman and wondered if she would ever get back to her old self. This version of Mel was almost alien. She was subdued and reclusive, everything the Melody Winston Gemma had known since birth had never been.

"How are you doing, Mel?" Gemma asked once they reached the kitchen. Mel waited until Gemma gave her a cup of fresh coffee to answer.

"I'm just trying to learn how to have free will again." Mel said with a shrug. Aside from driving a couple hundred miles every few days, Mel had been sticking to a routine that was pretty similar to her time in prison. She woke up, ate breakfast, looked in the paper for a job, went for a drive, ate dinner, took a shower and tried to sleep.

"You're not the same woman who went to prison for the club." Gemma saw the flash in Mel's eyes and quickly corrected her statement. "I just mean you're calmer."

"I guess." Mel wasn't sure if Gemma had just worded her statement strangely the first time or if she was really trying to imply that Mel wouldn't do it all over again for the club. She would. That was her family. "You said on the phone that you needed help with something?"

"I need you to check on Wendy." Gemma said, realizing that Mel wasn't interested in chatting. "She says she's clean but I don't buy it. She hides everything when I go over there."

"You think she won't hide it from me? She knows I hate that shit." Mel watched Gemma wring her hands, it was her tell. "You don't want her to know I'm there."

"You are the only one that can do it. I can't ask one of the boys, they would just tell Jax. He has enough on his plate." Gemma explained. She knew Mel well enough to know that her hatred of drugs would outweigh any reason she could have for not help out.

"Fine. Give me a key and let me know when she won't be there." Mel caved and extended her hand. Gemma hesitated. "What?"

"She changed the locks." Gemma said. Just thinking about when she had gone over there to check on things and found the locks changed made her see red. Mel rolled her head from side to side with a crack. "I know you've known how to pick locks for years, Melody."

"You owe me, Gem." Melody said, grabbing a banana out of the fruit bowl. She started peeling it with a slow nod. "When will she be out of the house?"

"Tonight. I told her Jax wanted to see her." Melody wasn't surprised. Long ago, Gemma had told Mel that lying wasn't wrong as long as no one got hurt. Jax and the guys were on an overnight run and had left out early that morning. Wendy wasn't going to be happy.

"Okay. Just call me as soon as she leaves the garage." Mel said with a mouth full of banana. She needed to swing by home and grab her lock pick before going over to sit on Jax and Wendy's place until she left. "I'll go home and grab my stuff and head over there."

"Thank you for doing this, sweetheart." Gemma gave Mel a quick hug and kiss on the cheek. Mel nodded and smiled with the last full mouth of banana. She jogged down the walkway to her car and hopped in. As much as she hated Wendy and the crank the whore was addicted to, she was also looking forward to doing something fun. Mel was a self taught locksmith and had yet to find a lock she couldn't pick. She was no thief. She mostly picked locks for fun or to help the club out when they wanted to make a quiet entry. She smiled as she remembered the look on Unser's face when she picked the locks on her cuffs and the holding cell at the age of thirteen. She didn't run or cause a scene, she just hung out in his office, leaned back in his chair with her feet on his desk until he found her.

Mel knew the shortest route to TM from Jax's house, so she parked her car on the opposite end of the road. She doubted Wendy would notice. She didn't really have any reason to be on the lookout for anyone watching her house. She slouched down in the driver's seat and watched for any movement. Mel still couldn't believe Jax had ended up with Wendy. When she read it in one of Donna's letters, she nearly choked on the water she was drinking. Of all people, Jax Teller ended up with Wendy. At least she wasn't addicted to crank until after they got married, Mel could give Jax that. The front door of Jax's house opening pulled Mel out of her thoughts. It was almost time. She watched Wendy get in the car and drive down the road. She waited another minute, just in case Wendy was to double back for something.

"What an idiot." Mel muttered. Wendy had left the deadbolt unlocked so all Mel had to do was a quick, basic pick of the doorknob lock and she was in. The first thing that hit her was the smell. Mel had never been a clean freak but she kept things clean enough, Wendy obviously didn't care about seeing the floors or the house smelling like rotting flesh. Mel was almost tempted to look around for a corpse. She shook her head and slid a pair of latex gloves on. The gloves weren't to avoid leaving prints, she didn't care about that. She was worried about getting some disease from a spent needle or whatever filth was growing on the dirty dishes all around her.

"Fucking junkie." Mel growled, opening a kitchen drawer. At first she didn't notice the hidden compartment but after opening the next drawer, she could see that the previous one was shallow. She pulled the faux bottom up with her pocket knife and that's when she found it. Wendy's stash. There wasn't much in there but that just meant that she'd been using. If she wasn't, there would be none at all because she had kicked it or a lot because she was resisting it. Mel pulled the drawer out and dumped the contents onto the kitchen table. There was a needle that looked dull from use and two little balloons of crank. Seeing it spread out on the table really had Mel pissed off.

"What?" She snapped, cradling her phone between her shoulder and her ear.

"Wendy's leaving right now." Gemma said quickly. She knew it wasn't the time to put Mel in her place for snapping at her like that. "Mel, did you hear me?"

"Yeah, I'm waiting on her." Mel said, pulling the phone away from her ear. She could hear Gemma asking why before snapping the phone shut. It wasn't the plan. She was supposed to find out if Gemma was right and get out of there without anyone ever finding out she was there. Plans changed though. Mel wasn't able to just sit by and let that junkie poison a baby. It wasn't right. She heard a car pull up and pulled out her knife again.

"What in the hell!? You can't be in here!" Wendy jumped back, terrified to find someone standing in her kitchen. It took a second for her to recognize the brunette as Opie's sister. Wendy looked at the table and saw the drawer sitting across it and her stuff dumped out beside it. "That's just leftover stuff. I forgot all about it. I'll get rid of it."

"Yeah right." Mel scoffed. She flicked her knife open and stabbed the blade right through the larger of the two balloons. She saw Wendy reflexively lunge forward. "What's wrong? I thought you were going to get rid of it. I'm just helping."

"It's worse for the baby if I just come off of it. Withdrawals could kill him." Wendy said. Mel's eyes flashed with the rage that Wendy remembered most about her.

"Do you even hear yourself right now? You're nothing but a junkie. Once that baby is born, you'll never see him again. You'll either be locked up or dead." Mel said, yanking her knife out of the balloon of crank. Off-white powder puffed up into the air in a little cloud before Mel stabbed the other one. She saw the pain written all over Wendy's face. "Don't want you getting any ideas."

"Stop! You bitch." Wendy cried out as Mel poured a glass of water over the powder. There was no salvaging any of it after that. Mel smiled and gently set the glass down on the table beside the ruined drugs. She then picked up the needle and broke it off on the corner of the table. Wendy shook her head and dug in her bag for her cell phone. "I'm calling the police."

"Oh, okay. I'll wait here so you can tell them how I broke in and destroyed the pregnant junkie's crank. I'm curious how fast they'll slap the cuffs on you." Mel laughed. Wendy threw her phone back into her bag and balled her hand into a fist.

"Get out." Wendy growled. Mel looked at the soggy drugs and the broken needle before nodding.

"Okay. Just so you know, you should lock the deadbolt. They at least slow people down." Mel said with a shrug. She brushed by Wendy and went out the same front door she'd entered through.

"What happened?" Gemma asked, meeting Mel in the middle of the parking lot. Mel raised her brows, surprised at how worried Gemma looked.

"I found her stash and ruined it. We had a chat. It was great catching up." Mel said simply, resuming her path to the clubhouse. Gemma watched the woman disappear into the clubhouse and couldn't help but laugh. That was more like it. That was the first hint of the old Mel she'd seen. Maybe there was hope after all.

"Melody! Hey!" Half-sack said, ditching his conversation with one of the hang-arounds as soon as he saw Melody walk inside. Mel nodded as she made her way around the bar. Half-sack didn't pass up the chance to look at her ass as she pushed herself up on her toes to reach the bottle of vodka on the top shelf. "You, uh, you been driving recently?"

"Well, I didn't walk here." Mel said, pouring a shot out into the glass. She had no doubts about what the prospect probably wanted to do to her. It was never going to happen. He was a couple years younger than her and awkward, Mel was attracted to the self assured type, even if that usually meant she dated assholes. Half-sack laughed a few seconds later than most people would have.

"I mean, I heard you used to race." He said with a shrug. Mel rolled her eyes and wondered who exactly he'd heard that from and why she was the topic of discussion. "That's pretty hot."

"Yeah, I used to race." She said, ignoring his comment. Half-sack smiled and Mel shook her head. He was a sweet kid and she didn't have the heart to keep being a bitch to him. "Look, I'm not interested. If you want to be friends then cool but please stop trying so hard."

"Oh. Uh, yeah I mean, you're Opie's sister. He'd kill me if we hooked up." Half-sack said, trying to brush it off. Mel pursed her lips, wondering why guys were so damn sensitive when it came to their ego. She just nodded her head, uninterested in bruising his ego anymore. "So, what were you in for?"

"You don't know when to just shut-up, do you?" Mel asked, pouring another shot. She wasn't ashamed of it, she just thought that question would finally stop once she finished her time. She took the shot and hopped up so she was sitting on the back bar. "Arson."

"Damn, really?" Half-sack was impressed. He would never tell her but he thought it would have been something girlier, not that he could really pinpoint what exactly that would include.

"Yep." Mel didn't regret it but she knew things could have gone better. The club was shorthanded with a couple guys doing petty time and Mel volunteered to help. Clay was all for it but Piney and her brother wouldn't hear it. They were out voted though. Mel went along to steal back some stolen guns from the One-Niners. She was part of the clean-up crew. The guys got the guns out of there and Mel set the charges to cover their tracks. It was going great until she and Kyle heard sirens. He was supposed to be her ride out of there. Kyle tore out of there before the first truck even blew. He didn't even hesitate. Opie had been all for a Mayhem vote but it wasn't unanimous. As the one done wrong, Clay and Piney had agreed to let her have a vote. She was the only one against.

"You coming to the party Friday?" Half-sack said, hoping she'd wear some shorts like last time. Mel blinked to clear her mind.

"Yeah, yeah I'll be there. I'll catch you later. If Gemma asks, I went home to sleep." Mel said, grabbing her keys off the bar. She barely even felt the vodka or else she would have stayed at the clubhouse. Half-sack nodded and watched her ass as she walked out into the night.

 **A/N: So, what do you think? I really appreciate all of the reviews and follows! We'll be learning more about Mel's personality and her life growing up SAMCRO in the coming chapters. I'm still undecided about who she may end up with or if this story will include Tara. i don't want to waste your time because I know there are J/T purists out there. I'll try to make that much of the decision by next chapter. Thank you for all your support :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**This chapter we have a little more background on Mel and see her with her brother a little more. Also, I know it has been a burning question about who she will be with. I've decided not to have her with Jax. Her personality is just a little...much... for him. You'll see more of that in the next chapter! With that being said, Jax will be with Tara as I don't want more than one main OC in this story. Hope you enjoy the chapter and stick around for more!**

Chapter 3

Mel leaned back against the back bumper of her car and blew smoke into the night air. She had driven east until there weren't any lights to dim the stars. Once she made it, she pulled her car off onto the side of the road and pulled out her cigarettes. The quiet of the middle of nowhere and the stars of the night sky did wonders to clear her mind. Ever since Mel had her run in with Wendy, she had been itching for a fight. She couldn't exactly hit a pregnant woman so she'd started tracking down her dealer. Mel knew where that scumbag lived, what he drove and his normal routine; she just hadn't made a move yet. There was no rush, really. She wanted to be smart about it. She wasn't looking for anymore time behind iron bars.

"Hey sweetheart, everything okay?" Mel glanced over at the car that had slowed to a stop beside her. The driver was probably around forty, maybe fifty years old. She nodded and snuffed out her cigarette with the toe of her shoe. She sized him up and decided to leave. She could take him but it wouldn't be an easy fight. She'd have to fight dirty. "Car break down on you?"

"I'm good, thanks." She said, knowing she would need to leave before he called the cops. She wasn't doing anything wrong, it wasn't illegal to pull off the road and have a smoke. Mel just didn't want to deal with the grief of being questioned. They would probably pull her record and then she'd be blamed for any fire in a ten mile radius. It wasn't worth it. Mel saw the dome light in the man's car light up and she tensed. "Really, car is fine. I just wanted a smoke and I don't smoke or eat in the car. Have a good night."

She was in her car before he made it around to her window. Her motor drowned out whatever he tried to say to her and then she took off. She kept it at just under thirty over the speed limit, knowing there was no way he would catch up, even if he tried. Once she saw the headlights of an oncoming car, she lifted off of the accelerator and let the car slow itself down. The way the man looked at her made her skin crawl. It was like he saw a piece of meat instead of a person. She made it back home in almost an hour less than it took her to get out to where she had left the man. She was exhausted and ended up passed out on the couch, not bothering to walk down the hall to her bed.

"What are you doing here?" Mel asked when she found Opie sitting on his motorcycle in front of her driveway. She had just gotten back from a job interview that hadn't gone so well. She had been about fifteen minutes late thanks to oversleeping and the woman doing the interview didn't care to hear excuses. Mel had planned to come home and celebrate another failure alone. She wasn't expecting company. Opie stretched as he stood up and walked over. Mel noticed that he looked almost as tired as she felt.

"Donna's flipping her shit about the club again." He said with a shrug. Mel nodded and opened the front door, not bothering with formally inviting him inside. Opie followed Mel in and looked around the house he had not been able to bring himself to enter since she was locked up. He had missed Mel but even more than that, he blamed himself for getting her involved. The one time he'd mentioned it during a visit, she'd really laid into him. She reminded him that she was a child of SAMCRO to, just like Opie. It was in her blood.

"Is that any different than normal?" Mel asked, hopping onto the couch and propping her feet up on the coffee table. Opie sighed and sat down at the opposite end. Mel watched as he rubbed at his temples. "Ope, you're too damn young to be this damn stressed. How is she not used to it yet?"

"I don't know, Mel. I mean, she didn't grow up in it. She was from the good side of town. Maybe she's the normal one." Opie said, leaning back and staring up at the ceiling. Mel shook her head with a little laugh.

"Normal? This is our normal, Ope. I'd go crazy with her normal. Raising kids, going grocery shopping, watching television after a sit down dinner with the blue collared husband and the trust fund kids. Screw that. Where's the challenge?" Mel couldn't ever see herself living a life like that. She couldn't even imagine having kids.

"The challenge, Mel? Life isn't supposed to be so damn complicated." Opie said, wondering where she got her outlook on life.

"It's not complicated. You do what makes you happy and keeps you breathing. Abraham Lincoln once said, 'It's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.' Or something like that." Mel said with a shrug as she hopped up to get a couple beers out of the fridge. Opie shook his head as she handed him one and took her spot back on the couch.

"Are you high?" Opie asked with a laugh. Mel rolled her eyes and opened her beer with the opener she kept on the coffee table.

"I don't drive high. I had a lot of time to think over the last few years." Opie nodded and a silence fell between them for a few minutes. They just sat and drank their beers.

"The prospect has been asking about you." Opie said, hoping to lighten the mood and get Mel to laugh. She chuckled and rolled her eyes.

"He's not my type and he knows it." Mel pushed her hair back off her neck and took a deep breath. Opie saw the sadness in her eyes and he immediately regretted saying anything. He wanted to kill that ass hole for hurting his sister when it happened but seeing the pain in her eyes after so many years just made his hatred that much deeper. "Are you hungry?"

"Yeah. You want some pizza?" Opie knew she couldn't turn pizza down. She smiled and nodded, hopping off the couch again. Opie watched her cross the room and open the coat closet. "I guess you're riding with me then?"

"Please? I haven't ridden since I got out." Mel said, fluttering her thick, dark eyelashes at him. He chuckled and nodded, pushing himself off the couch and following her back outside to his bike. She was grinning ear to ear as she climbed on behind Opie. As much as she loved driving her car, she could deny the rush that riding a motorcycle gave her, even as a passenger.

"Do you need a box?" The waitress asked after Mel and Opie had finished eating and asked for the check. Mel shook her head and reached for the ticket. Opie beat her to it and handed the waitress a couple bills.

"Thanks, you didn't have to do that." Mel said as they walked back out to his bike. The breeze brought a familiar smell to her nose as she fastened her helmet on. She turned towards the wind and saw a thick plume of black smoke rising into the air. "Something big is on fire."

"What?" Opie barely got the word out before his phone started ringing. He answered it quickly and Jax confirmed his suspicion. "Yeah, I'll be there."

"What's up?" Mel asked, seeing the change in her brother's demeanor. He didn't answer and just got on the bike, not waiting for her to get settled before he took off towards the smoke. They stopped just up the hill from what was now a smoldering, collapsed heap of a building. Mel slid off the bike and took a few steps forward to get a better look at the fire. "There were people in there."

"What?" Clay said, turning from his conversation with Juice and Tig. "How do you know?"

"It smells like burnt flesh." Mel said with a shrug. When Clay's eyes widened, she tried to suppress her sarcastic grin. She pointed down the hill. "There's also a medical examiner's truck."

"Smart ass." Clay muttered, turning away from the scene. Mel smirked and continued looking the wreckage over. She wanted to get closer but there were still to many fire trucks and police cars. The smoke was starting to dissipate but she knew the fire would just need a little encouragement to spring back to life. "What did you do?"

"Both of them?" Jax snapped, getting Mel's full attention away from the fire. Tig was rubbing the back of his neck and looking a little guilty.

"We gotta get rid of them. My DNA is in the system." Tig said. Mel put the pieces together and couldn't help but chuckle. Tig was always getting himself into trouble and it normally involved him putting his dick where it didn't belong.

"Depending on the heat, it may be gone." Mel said. Everyone turned to look at her, making her feel like she had a big pimple on her forehead. "What? Fire destroys most evidence. It just depends on where they were and how hot it got."

"There's my little arsonist, coming to the rescue." Tig said, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and plopping a big kiss on her cheek. She rolled her eyes and pushed him off.

"Get me down there and I can probably tell." Mel said, fending Tig off some more. Clay let out a frustrated scoff and Tig stopped goofing around. The President nodded, despite his reservations. He stepped away with his phone to his ear and came back a minute later.

"Trammel said they're clearing out in a minute. Body snatchers are going to leave them there for awhile, said they're too hot to transport as is. Soon as everyone leaves we'll head down there." Clay said, looking around the group. He then looked to Mel. "Don't touch anything without gloves on unless you want to take the fall for this shit."

"Yeah, I know. They'll probably come knocking on my door anyways." She said with an annoyed shake of her head. They all stood by and watched police car after police car leave the fire. Soon, there was only one car and one, smaller fire truck remaining. Clay gave the go ahead and everyone headed down to the ruined building.

"Oh hell no, Clay. You can't bring her down here. It's bad enough I'm letting you boys in." Deputy Trammel said as soon as he saw Mel. She gave him one quick look and rolled her eyes, knowing Clay would handle him. Opie and Jax followed her as she looked around the wreckage, trying to locate the bodies. The closer they got, the worse it smelled.

"Shit." Mel said, pulling the neck of her shirt over her nose. The stench was horrible but not unfamiliar. She had only smelled it once before and had wished that would have been the last time. Opie shook his head and looked down at the two corpses in the small cellar.

"So?" Jax asked, feeling his stomach churn. He felt even sicker when Mel shook her head.

"They still look like bodies, not skeletons. The smoke probably killed them and then the fire just burnt their skin up. There's no way his DNA is gone." Mel said, stepping back from the cellar. As much as she liked fire and even the destructive power it had, she couldn't stand the smell or sight of burnt bodies. Jax sighed and walked over to give Clay the bad news.

"You three can go on." Clay said, motioning to Mel, Opie and Jax before turning to Tig. "You go back and get the prospect and take care of this. I need to fill Chibs and Bobby in."

"Have fun Tig!" Mel hollered as he walked to his bike. He turned and gave her a glare as she laughed. Opie and Mel rode beside Jax until Mel's street. Jax kept riding towards the clubhouse when Opie turned off the main road. "Thanks for dinner, Ope."

"Yep. You coming to Gemma's on Sunday?" Opie asked. Mel shrugged. She didn't have anything better to do.

"Probably. I'll definitely see you Friday if you come to the party though. Bring Donna. Maybe she just needs some fun." Mel said. She didn't understand Donna's view of the club but she knew Opie loved her and the kids. She didn't want things to go south between them like it had between their father and mother. "Hey, do you know if Dad's still holed up at the cabin?"

"Yeah, probably is. Be good, Mel." Opie said, walking his bike back out of the driveway. Mel waved his suggestion off and opened the door. Ready for a shower and some sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you so much for your feedback! It's very inspiring! A quick word on updates though. I will normally strive to update at least once a week. On my off days or slow days at work, I may be able to update more often but I can't guarantee it. I hope you enjoy this chapter! Thank you!**

Chapter 4

"Expected you a day ago." Mel said, opening her front door to find David Hale standing on her porch. His eyes widened and she suspected it had something to do with her opening the door in a white tank top and a pair of black panties. It was early and she wasn't really a morning person. "No, I didn't do it."

"How do you know what I'm going to ask you about?" David said, planting his hands on his belt. Mel rolled her eyes, wondering what the point of that was. She wasn't scared.

"I watch the news, Hale. I know a building went up in a blaze of glory on Tuesday. I just got out of prison for Arson. Even a cop like yourself might think to try and connect some dots." Mel never liked Hale. He was a goody-good in school and he was always snitching on Jax and Opie before they dropped out. "So to save everyone some time, the answer is no. I didn't do it."

"There were gun parts all over the place, Melody. You don't think we know what your family's club is up to? Don't let them pull you back in." Hale said, shaking his head slowly.

"I don't know what you're talking about. Even if I did, I doubt you know what you think you do or you would have already busted them." Mel motioned towards his jeep parked on the road out in front of her house. "I'm sure you can find your way back to the station. Any more questions for me can be directed to my lawyer."

Mel closed the door and locked it before heading back to bed. She wasn't ready for the day to start but after half an hour of tossing and turning, she gave in. While the coffee brewed, she went ahead and took a shower, hoping the combination would wake her up.

"Dad, wake up and unlock the damn door!" Mel yelled, banging on the front door of the cabin he had been holed up in for almost a week. She was still tired and cranky. She had no desire to stand outside all day. "Unlock the damn door!"

"Stop yelling! You sound like your mother." Piney yelled back as he stumbled into a pair of jeans on his way to the door. He loved his daughter but she could really work his nerves sometimes, especially in the mornings. He opened the door to see her in a pair of too short shorts and a Nirvana t-shirt. "What do you want? What time is it?"

"Morning." Mel grumbled, sliding past Piney and into the cabin. She scrunched her nose at the smell. "It smells like shit in here."

"No one asked you to come in." Piney said, tossing the door closed. He shook his head as she hopped up and sat on the kitchen counter.

"Are you coming to Gemma's on Sunday?" Mel asked, ignoring how grumpy her father was. She was used to it.

"What day is it?" Piney asked as he walked into the bedroom to find a somewhat clean shirt. Mel rolled her eyes.

"The dinner is on Sunday. Today is Thursday." She said slowly. Piney scowled at her on his way back into the kitchen. "Seriously, Dad. Why are you holed up in here? You hear from Mom or something?"

"No. I don't need to explain myself to you. I'm an old man. I can disappear when I want to." Piney said, refusing to admit that he had come to the cabin after a disagreement with Clay. When he thought about telling her the truth, he realized how childish it sounded. Mel twisted her lips and shook her head. She wasn't buying it.

"Whatever. You need to sober up and come to dinner. I think I saw you more when I was locked up." Mel said. She knew tough love was the only way to get through to him. Asking nicely wouldn't get her anywhere. She learned that a long time ago. "Seriously, it's not like you're going to be around forever."

"Oh shut up. I'll be there." Piney said. Mel smiled brightly and hopped off the counter. She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before walking towards the door.

"Good. I suggest taking a shower between now and then." She opened the door and glanced back at him with a laugh. "Love you."

"Yeah, yeah. Stay out of trouble." Piney muttered, waving her out. Mel laughed again and jogged down the few steps to her car. She wasn't sure if he would actually come to dinner, but she was glad to see he was relatively okay. She had gotten worried.

When Mel got to the clubhouse, no one was around. Even Gemma had left the garage in the hands of the mechanics. Instead of sitting inside and staring at the walls, Mel decided to take advantage of the sun and try to get some color on her skin. She was tired of the "jail pale". She grabbed one of the picnic benches and drug it out from under the awning and into the sun.

"Mel, what the hell are you doing?" Opie asked for the third time. He noticed she had earphones in so he pulled them out. "What are you doing?"

"Tanning." Mel said, not bothering to raise her forehead off the pillow she had made with her t-shirt. To avoid tan lines, she had unhooked her bra and pulled her arms out of the straps.

"Are you insane?" Opie asked shoving the prospect towards the clubhouse.

"No. I don't want tan lines. They don't go well with ink." Mel explained. Opie looked at the large, angel wing tattoo that she had gotten the night of her eighteenth birthday. The black and grey wings covered nearly her whole back, save for a line of blank skin down her spine. He shook his head.

"I could use a beer though." Mel said, knowing her brother was still standing there. She didn't have to look at him to know he was brooding. There was a gruff, unfamiliar laugh. Mel turned her head and opened her eyes to see a heavily tattooed man standing by Opie. He was wearing a kutte but she couldn't make out his charter from her position on the bench. "See? He doesn't have tan lines."

"Mel, put your shirt on and come inside. Need to talk to you." Opie said as his brother lit a cigarette. He didn't like how he was looking at Mel but he wasn't going to put his neck on the line by telling Happy off just yet. Opie would just talk to him about it later, maybe after the Killah had gotten some head from one of the croweaters to take the edge off. Mel sighed and sat up, holding the bra to her chest as best she could. "Jesus Christ, Mel. You could have waited until I went inside."

"What? You were rushing me. You have two kids. I'm sure you've seen tits before." Mel teased. Opie rolled his eyes and walked towards the clubhouse as Mel maneuvered her way back into her bra without giving the unknown Son a free show. Once her bra was on, she stood up and extended her hand to him. He hesitated but took it with an amused smirk. "Melody Winston but everybody calls me Mel."

"You Opie's kid sister?" Happy asked, hoping she would say no. She laughed and he raised his brow, wondering why that was funny.

"He's my twin. I'm actually eight minutes older than him." Mel stated. If people didn't know they were twins, they always thought Opie was a couple years older than her. She assumed it was because of his height. She looked at the man before her, wondering if he was going to introduce himself. When he didn't, she gave him a quick smile and walked into the clubhouse without another word.

"What's up?" Mel said after she found Opie sitting in his regular spot at the club's table. She had only been in the room a couple times and only behind closed doors once. Everyone else, besides her father and the prospect were inside the room as well. Opie didn't answer until Happy walked in and closed the doors behind him. He sat in a chair just back from the table, waiting to be filled in like everyone else. Mel glanced at him for a second before looking back at Opie.

"We're going on lockdown." Clay announced. Mel's teeth ground together so hard, she wondered if Opie could hear them. He looked up at her from his seat as she shook her head. "It's only for a night, maybe two."

"Why am I in here then? Someone could have told me in a bigger room." Mel hated the crowded feeling of the room. The men around the table were by no means small and the table itself didn't leave much room for guests.

"You have a habit of not listening." Clay said, giving Mel a pointed look. The last lockdown Mel was around for didn't go so well. Mel had a race scheduled for the second night of lockdown and she had an opportunity to make a lot of money if she won. Clay wouldn't listen to her when she asked to have a patched member go with her. He just said she couldn't leave, just like everyone else. Mel didn't listen, she always had a problem with authority. The race was going well. She had made two runs and moved into the final heat against a new Mustang GT with some Nitrous Oxide boost. They were lined up and ready to go. That was when their lookout saw the first cop. The green flag dropped and Mel went, ignoring the warning of police. She was determined to win. She made it to the finish line a couple miles away. There were several people around to verify that she had won but unfortunately most of them were wearing badges and guns. She thought about running but they knew her. They knew where she would eventually turn up.

"That was a long time ago and I ended up winning a lot of money since that bitch chickened out." Mel said, folding her arms across her chest. She wasn't some defiant child. She was just an adult and believed in making her own choices.

"You also got probation for that shit." Opie pointed out. Mel would have normally smacked him in the back of the head for him not being on her side but she wouldn't dare do that at the table. "The One-Niners aren't happy with us and they know you're out. Until that shit settles you gotta keep your head down."

"So this lockdown is just for me?" Mel snapped. Opie shook his head.

"No, we just need you to listen." Jax said from across the table. Mel let her arms drop to her side with a sigh.

"Fine but I need to get some stuff from my house." She resigned. Jax nodded and looked to Clay.

"You have thirty minutes. Everyone else should be getting here now." Clay said, obviously unhappy about letting her go.

"One more thing. I want my car in the garage. I don't want any door dings." Mel said sternly. Clay's eyes narrowed.

"Fine. You're running out of favors pretty quick, Melody." He had already agreed to let her get her stuff. He didn't know why she always had to make things difficult. She reminded him of Gemma sometimes. Mel took that as a dismissal and headed out of the room, glancing over at the unknown Son as she closed the doors. He wasn't trying to hide that he had been watching her the whole time.

When Mel got back, she backed her car into the open garage bay and grabbed her bag. She had seen her father's trike when she pulled in and realized that this lockdown was serious. He wouldn't have come down from the cabin for something minor. Mel tried not to think about it and made a beeline for the back dorm room where she liked to stay. It was the furthest from the main room so late night parties or early risers wouldn't bother her.

"Oh, shit. Sorry." Mel's cheeks blushed immediately. She had used her key to open the door, not stopping to consider the possibility of someone else being in the room. As embarrassed as she was, she couldn't help but stare. She knew his arms were fully covered in ink but so was his chest, luckily he was wearing a towel around his torso. Mel would have felt like such a gash for staring at him full-on nude. She clicked her teeth together and took a step back. "Sorry."

"You said that already." Happy said, keeping his laughter internalized. Mel nodded and her cheeks darkened. "Are you leaving?"

"I, yeah, um." Mel couldn't read him. She didn't know if that was him telling her to get lost or asking if she wanted to stay. She closed her eyes and took another step back. "See you around."

"There you are! Gemma said you are staying in the room at the end of the hall." Donna said, finally finding Mel at the bar. She was surprised when her sister-in-law threw a shot back and then shook her head with a laugh.

"Nope, it's taken." Mel said, finally feeling more amused than embarrassed by the situation. Donna furrowed her brow.

"The one across the hall from Opie's old dorm?" Donna asked, sure that she had heard Gemma correctly. Mel cut her eyes over at Donna.

"I usually stayed in the one next to Ope's." Mel said, wondering if Gemma had planned on her embarrassing herself. Donna shrugged. "Thanks for letting me know, babe. I'll take my stuff down there in a minute."

"Okay. Hey, have you talked to Opie? He seems kind of distant with me and the kids lately. It's like the club is his family more than we are." Donna said, sitting down next to Mel at the bar.

"The club is your family to, D. Ever since you took his crow, you've been family." Mel said, despite how she felt about Donna's outlook on the club. "He can't be half in and half out. That's how people get hurt."

"I just wish he could put us first every now and then." Donna said, twisting her wedding band around her finger. Mel threw back another shot and stood up.

"He does, Donna. Every run he makes keeps a roof over your heads." Mel was running out of patience and knew the best thing she could do was to leave the conversation. The last thing she wanted to do was get into it with anyone on the first night of lockdown. Mel opened the door, across from the tattooed biker's who she had yet to learn the name of. It looked just like all the others. She tossed her bag on the armchair and laid down on the bed. Lockdown was already starting to feel too much like lock up.

"Hello?" Mel didn't know who would be calling her. Most everyone she knew was somewhere in the clubhouse. "Hello?"

"Melody." Mel sat straight up in bed. She recognized that voice. "Please."

"Wendy! What's going on. Where are you?" Mel asked, standing and rushing to the door. "Wendy!"

There was no answer. Mel ran out into the main room. She grabbed Jax's arm and then kept running, not bothering with any explanations. She heard a couple sets of heavy footprints running behind her as she rushed to her car, thankful that she had not closed the garage door. She honked the horn over and over until the prospect had the gate out of the way. Mel was thankful that she knew her car so well. The back end was getting loose as she turned sharply down this street, then that one. She made it to Jax's house in less than five minutes.

"Wendy! Wendy open the fucking door!" Mel yelled, hitting the door over and over. A couple bikes were showing up just as she got the lock picked. "Wendy! Oh my god!"

She was lying on the floor with blood pooled beneath her. She was still warm but she was barely breathing. Mel pulled out her phone to call for an ambulance as she checked for a pulse. Any ambulance would be too slow.

"Carry her out to my car." Mel said, rushing past Jax to start the car back up. She sat behind the wheel and took a deep breath. This was more important than any race she had run. This was Jax's kid's life. Mel didn't honestly care what happened with Wendy, she just wanted the baby to be okay. She looked over as Jax and the tattooed son loaded Wendy into the passenger seat. Jax's face was as white as snow. Mel gave him a nod and tore out of the driveway as soon as the door was closed.


	5. Chapter 5

**Look! An update! Apologies for any grammar mistakes, I'm working and wanted to get this posted as soon as possible. I'm so thankful for all your reviews and support! Please keep them coming!**

Chapter 5

"You doing okay?" Opie asked, handing Mel a cup of hospital coffee. He knew she hated hospitals, Saint Thomas in particular. She nodded slowly but he wasn't fooled. He saw the clouded look in her eyes. He sighed and sat down beside her. "You don't have to wait here. I'm sure Jax would be okay with you leaving."

"I need to know if the baby is okay." Mel said, her voice sounding distant in her own ears. The warmth of the coffee cup felt good in her cold hands. She knew Opie was worried about her but the night wasn't about her. All of her energy was directed to sending the baby good vibes. Thinking about why she hated the hospital wouldn't help anyone. "Donna thinks you never put her and the kids first."

"Yeah, I've heard it a few times." Opie said, wishing she would have picked something else to talk about. He knew she was on edge though. He wasn't going to push her by changing the subject again. "I'm just trying to get caught up on the bills. It's been kind of rough."

"I've got some money if you need it. I'd rather you owe me than a bank." Mel said, looking over at her brother. She really doubted he would take her offer.

"You don't even have a job, Mel." Opie shook his head. She was always trying to help him or help their dad.

"Yet." Mel muttered, letting the conversation die off. She went back to staring at a set of double doors that doctors and nurses came in and out of every so often. After what felt like hours, she turned to see Opie drifting off. "Go back and be with your wife and kids, Opie. They're probably scared to."

"Who's going to be here with you? Lockdown, remember?" Opie said, shaking his head. Mel pointed to the tattooed Son sitting a few seats down. "Happy?"

"If that's his name, yeah. He looks scary enough. I'll be fine." Mel said with a shrug. Happy had turned to look at the twins when he'd heard his name. He had been thinking about his mother, how he hated sitting around waiting for news when she was in the hospital. When he turned to look at Mel and Opie, he started thinking about the ride from Jax's to the hospital. He had never had trouble keeping up with cars, especially cars driven by women. That woman was crazy though. She was sliding around corners and accelerating so hard the front of the car seemed to be gliding over the pavement. "You'll babysit me, won't you?"

"I won't leave her, Opie." Mel was irritated that he didn't answer her directly but at least he was going to hang around. Opie still had not had a chance to talk to Happy about Mel, but he figured nothing would happen in the hospital. He groaned and rubbed at his temples. "Clay and Gemma are headed this way."

"Alright." Opie nodded to Happy who turned back to the magazine he'd been staring at without really reading. "Mel, behave."

"I always behave, Opie, just not necessarily well." Mel said with a wink. Opie scowled and she let out a little chuckle. "Go. I'll be fine."

Mel and Happy kept their respective seats and sat in silence. Mel had her elbows on her knees and her chin sitting on her fists while Happy was leaned back in the chair with his left ankle on his right knee. He looked over Mel's way every so often, just to make sure she was still there but she never looked away from the double doors. He tried to remember if he had ever heard of Opie having a sister. Family trees didn't really come up often on runs or during jobs and parties. She was pretty but he could tell she didn't really try, she didn't even seem to care about the blood on her shorts from trying to pick the junkie up. She had nice legs but he usually looked for bigger tits. He looked away when she started to turn her head his way.

Mel wasn't stupid. She could feel the man staring at her. She ignored it for a while, figuring there was no harm in it. Eventually she was annoyed though. She started to feel like an animal on display at the zoo. As soon as she turned her head to look at him, he oh so casually turned his head towards the front. She rolled her eyes and considered calling him out until Gemma and Clay rushed into the waiting room.

"Where's Jax?" Gemma asked, looking around wildly. Mel stood up, running her palms down her thighs. She knew Gemma wouldn't like the answer.

"He left as soon as they took Wendy back for surgery. He said he'd be back." Mel said, watching Gemma's cheeks getting darker. She shook her head and turned to say something to Clay until Tara Knowles stepped through the double doors that Mel had been watching for over an hour. Mel blinked slowly, wondering if her eyes were playing tricks on her. Gemma looked surprised as well. Tara obviously noticed their reactions but decided to ignore it.

"Where's Jax?" Tara asked, looking from Gemma to Mel. She had not seen either woman in years. Mel shrugged and Gemma crossed her arms. Tara decided not to push the issue, she knew Gemma was family so she could go ahead and release information, at least on the baby. Mel knew it wasn't going to be good, she had prepared herself for that. Still, the whole time she was waiting, she'd hoped that Wendy had listened. She'd hoped that drugs didn't have anything to do with the baby's condition. "He seems to be going through withdrawals on top of everything else."

That was all Mel needed to hear. She backed away slowly so as not to make a scene while Gemma asked Tara questions. Mel turned toward the exit and calmly walked down the hall. She had to keep her cool. She didn't want anyone trying to stop her.

"Where do you think you're going?" Happy asked. He had seen Mel's whole body tense up before she started walking out of the hospital. He recognized that calmness that she was trying to give off from personal experience. He waited until they were in the parking lot to stop her, just in case she exploded.

"I have something I need to do." Mel said, not appreciating being followed. Happy grabbed her arm when she turned away. "Let go of me."

"Where are you going?" Happy repeated, annoyed that she hadn't answered his question the first time. He watched her scowl turn into a glare as she tried to jerk her arm away.

"I'm going to hurt someone for hurting that baby." Mel said, still not telling him where it was she was going. She didn't need his help.

"Person that hurt the kid is laying in the hospital." Happy said. He gave up on getting a location out of her. Mel scoffed and shook her head.

"She was out of crank. She was obviously pregnant and someone sold her more crank. They're as guilty as she is." Mel didn't want to explain herself to Happy but she thought he may let her go if she did. He waited for a moment but let go.

"I'm going with you." Happy said, knowing she'd probably dislike it. She rolled her eyes but didn't object any further. He nodded and followed her towards her car. "Don't try and lose me."

"Scout's honor." Mel grumbled. She thought she saw him smirk before she got into her car. Mel waited for him to get his helmet on before she started the car and backed out of the spot. She headed towards the dealer's house, hoping he would be there instead of the bar so the situation could be handled in private. When his car wasn't there, she turned around in his driveway.

"What?" Happy asked, wondering what in the hell the woman was doing. Mel dropped the car into neutral so he could hear her over her exhaust and his engine.

"He's not here. He'll be at the Dog." Mel said loudly. Happy nodded and didn't question her any further. She nodded and led the way towards the Hairy Dog. It was a well known hang out for the Nords, a white hate group known to push crank outside of Charming. The Sons and the Nords never got along and you never found them in the same place without some punches being thrown. For that reason, Mel normally avoided the Hairy Dog. She was somewhat glad that Happy demanded to go with her since the prick wasn't home.

Happy didn't ask any questions as he got off his bike and Mel got out of her car. He knew blood lust when he saw it and part of him was interested to see if she'd go through with it. He reached over her head and opened the door, causing her to glance up at him with a smirk. Mel walked right in without pause. There were whistles and cat calls as soon she was inside. She ignored them and walked right up to the man she had studied for almost a week. She tapped him on the shoulder and took a step back to give herself a little distance.

"What can I get you, baby?" He asked, looking the brunette up and down. He noticed the pissed of Son behind her but they didn't have any beef at the moment.

"You sold crank to my friend's pregnant wife." Mel said, not bothering to go into the details of how they had divorced. The guy raised his brow before shaking his head.

"I don't sling crank, especially not in Charming." He said, emphasizing the last part sarcastically. Mel nodded slowly and shrugged her shoulders. Happy watched her move quickly. She had a pool cue in her hand and then across his head before the guy could even think about ducking. Happy was impressed. A few of the prick's buddies moved to help him. They stopped as soon as Happy drew both of his Glocks.

Mel was seeing red. The man recovered pretty quickly and took a swing at her, barely grazing her cheek. She laughed and stomped on the pool cue, breaking it in half. The man moved to grab the other half and Mel swung her half like a baseball bat, striking him right across the face. He yelled and stumbled back. Mel kicked his stomach and he fell back onto his ass. She landed a few blows on his face before grabbing the pool cue again and driving it into his groin. He screamed loudly before passing out. Mel nodded and stood up straight, pleased with the message she'd delivered. She looked back to see two men lying on the ground and Happy holding one at gun point.

"Are they dead?" Mel asked, ignoring the man at the business end of Happy's Glock. He shook his head.

"You good?" Happy asked. She nodded and walked past him towards the door. He nodded and walked back towards the door as well, keeping the gun on the last Nord standing. Mel held the door open for him. "Hospital or clubhouse?"

"Clubhouse. I want a shower." Mel said with a smile. That smile seemed innocent, like she hadn't just beaten and possibly castrated a man. He nodded with a chuckle and headed to his bike. She was unlike any woman he had ever met before. She was crazy and he kind of liked that.

"Where have you been?" Piney asked Mel as soon as she walked into the clubhouse. Clay had told him she'd disappeared from the hospital and he had been trying to hold off on letting Opie know. Mel pushed her hair out of her face and Piney noticed her reddened knuckles. He looked to Happy, wondering if he had hurt his little girl. "Melody. Answer me."

"I took out some trash, Dad. I'm fine. I'm taking a shower and going to sleep." Mel said. She kissed him on the cheek before walking across the room to the hallway without any further explanation. Piney looked up at Happy, still unsure about his role in whatever happened.

"What happened?" Piney asked, standing up from the stool. Happy looked away from the hallway that Mel had disappeared down.

"She beat the shit out of a Nord at the Dog." Happy shrugged, she'd summed it up pretty well. Piney narrowed his eyes and then reclaimed his bar stool. Happy headed down the hallway and into his room, aware of the shower running across the hall.

Mel hissed as she scrubbed the blood off of her knuckles. She had broken her hand before, she didn't think it was broken but thought her knuckle could definitely be dislocated. After taking a shower and towel drying her hair, she headed out to the bar, hoping to find Chibs so he could look at her hand.

"Hey, have you seen the Scott?" Mel asked Jax, a little surprised to see him sitting at the bar. He shook his head without looking up from his hands that were folded together in front of him. She took a deep breath and sat down next to him. "I did a thing."

"That's never good." Jax said, glancing over at her. She shrugged and strummed her fingers on the bar.

"I'm only telling you because I beat you to it. Sorry." Mel said, feeling guilty for taking the revenge that Jax deserved. He nodded and turned to look at her.

"How bad was it?" Jax asked. Mel laughed and leaned towards him.

"Well, I thought I saw Happy getting a little sick." Mel said with a wink. Jax laughed with a nod. He didn't mind, he'd find some other outlet for his anger. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, darlin'. I'm good." Jax said, squeezing her hand before getting up. Mel watched him walk outside and knew he was probably going to the roof. He had spent a lot of time there after his dad died. Mel twisted her mouth and sat at the bar for a minute. Without anything else to do, she just went back to her room and went to bed, hoping her hand would straighten itself out.


	6. Chapter 6

**Again, thank you for all the reviews and support. This chapter is a little longer than the others but we start to get a glimpse of Mel's past. Enjoy! Please review! I'm begging lol**

Chapter 6

"Ya should have found me last night, darlin." Chibs said, turning Mel's hand over slowly. It was red and swollen. Mel tried not to hiss but the simple act of turning her hand over felt like he drove a knife through it. She took a deep breath, determined to keep it together. "From what I can tell, you have two dislocated knuckles. What did you do, love?"

"Ran into a wall." Mel said with a smirk. "A few times."

"Aye, I'd hate to see what the wall looks like." Chibs chuckled. Mel shrugged the shoulder that wasn't attached to her injured hand. "Do ya want me to fix it?"

"Yeah, this shit hurts." Mel grumbled. She glanced up to see Happy walking into the room. She turned her attention back on Chibs and nodded with a hard swallow.

Happy watched as Mel turned her face towards the ceiling and tightly shut her eyes. Chibs grabbed the two fingers between her index and pinky finger. Happy groaned at the audible 'pop' noise that preceded Mel's creative string of damns, shits and fucks. He shook his head and poured a cup of coffee as Chibs walked behind the bar and grabbed a dish towel.

"Who did she beat?" Chibs asked quietly as he put a few cubes of ice into the dish towel before tying it up.

"Nord who sold Jax's ex some crank." Happy said. Chibs smiled proudly before walking back to give Mel the ice. She smiled and stood up, giving him a kiss on the cheek while Happy sipped on his coffee, trying to ignore the way her ass moved as she walked out onto the lot.

"Hey." Mel said softly. Gemma looked up and waved her into the office, wondering why she was just hanging out in the doorway. Mel sat down on the small sofa across from Gemma's desk and put the ice on her knuckles. "How's the baby?"

"He's a fighter. Seems like you two have that in common." Gemma said, pointing her pen at Mel's hand. Mel gave her a half smile. "I'm going to see him in a couple hours if you want to come along. You just can't sneak off and beat someone's ass again."

"Chibs wouldn't appreciate me messing up his handy work." Mel said, lifting her hand with a laugh. "I think I'll probably stay here. There's nothing more I can do for him there than I can do for him here."

"Well, if you change your mind just let me know." Gemma said, turning back to her paperwork. Mel nodded and stood to leave. "Oh and if you need an alibi, you know you can count on me."

"Thanks, Gem. I kind of doubt he'll admit to getting his ass kicked by a girl though." Mel smiled and walked out into the sunlight. Gemma put her pen down and moved over to the window. She watched Mel walk over to the picnic table and light a cigarette. It was good to have the younger woman back but Gemma could tell she was still hurting inside. Gemma knew that jail could never break Melody Winston, not even after five years. That sadness she hid so well came from the weeks leading up to her arrest. Sometimes, Gemma wondered if she didn't try to run from the police so she could get away from everything for a while. Gemma couldn't help but worry about Mel, she had always been like a daughter to Gemma.

"Opie, you got a second?" Gemma yelled into the garage. He put down his wrench and walked into the office. "Shut the door, sweetheart."

"What's up, Gemma?" Opie said, wiping his hands off on his coveralls before getting a cup of water from the dispenser.

"How's your sister doing?" Gemma asked, glancing out of the window to see the lot empty again. She assumed she went back into the clubhouse.

"She's fine. Still looking for a job but she's fine." Opie wasn't sure what Gemma was getting at. If she really wanted to know how Mel was, she would have just asked Mel.

"Has she talked to you about what happened before?" Gemma saw Opie's normally kind eyes go dark. He finished his water and crumpled the paper cup in his large hand.

"No. That shit needs to stay in the past." Opie growled. Gemma pursed her lips and folded her arms across her chest. "Gemma, I'm serious. This is my sister. Don't bring that shit back up with Mel. All it would do is hurt her."

Opie left the office and went back to the car he was working on. He didn't understand why Gemma had to pick at old wounds. He remembered his sister coming to his house in the middle of the night with mascara stained cheeks and tears still flowing. He had never seen her cry like that, not in the twenty three years he had known her at that point. She cried for almost an hour before she went quiet. She didn't speak or move for the rest of the night. It wasn't until the next morning that Opie found out what had happened.

"Whoa, watch out." Juice said, narrowly dodging the wrench that Opie had thrown against the wall. Opie un-balled his fists and nodded a silent apology. Juice watched him walk out without a word.

"Need to talk to you." Opie said to Happy, nodding towards the door. Happy furrowed his brow and moved the croweater off his lap. She didn't seem to mind, she just moved across the coffee table to the couch where TIg was. Opie led Happy outside and over towards the ring. "My sister is off limits."

"What?" Happy didn't know what Opie was talking about. Yeah, he checked her out but that was it. They barely spoke and he hadn't pushed up on her.

"Mel, she's off limits. I'm not going to let her get hurt again." Opie said. He had seen how Happy looked at her, it was the same way every man looked at her and it drove Opie crazy.

"Brother, I went to the Dog with her because you wanted me to watch her. Don't worry. She's not my type." Happy was irritated. He'd gone with Mel because Opie had asked him to. He didn't appreciate being accused of something he didn't even do. "That it?"

"Yeah. Thanks." Opie said, offering Happy his hand. Happy nodded and pushed the toothpick to the other side of his mouth before taking Opie's hand and accepting a brotherly hug. Mel watched everything go down from Jax's normal spot on the roof. She couldn't hear what they were saying, but she knew Opie well enough to know he probably told Happy to stay away. She rolled her eyes and stepped back from that side of the roof. She loved her family but she wished they would stop treating her like a fragile child. She was a grown woman, she could handle her own love life if nothing else.

Once lockdown was lifted, Mel disappeared for a few days. She kept in touch with Gemma for updates on Abel but she didn't come around the clubhouse. She spent a lot of time driving, including a couple races that won her a few hundred dollars. She enjoyed going head to head with other drivers again. Since she was a girl, most people underestimated her. She always used that to her advantage.

"Melody, I expect you at the fundraiser. No excuses." Mel rolled her eyes after listening to and deleting Gemma's voicemail. She was sitting on the hood of her car, looking out over the Pacific Ocean. The fundraiser was tomorrow. If she wanted to make it and get some sleep, she would have to leave soon. She smoked a couple cigarettes and thought it over before getting in her car and heading back to Charming. She could never stay away from home, not for too long.

"Melody! You're back!" Chibs yelled, seeing the brunette walking across the park towards the SAMCRO tent. Mel could tell he had already been hitting the Jameson that morning. She gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek before pulling his arm over her shoulders and letting him escort her over to the tent.

"It's about time you got here." Gemma said, seeing Mel under Chibs' arm. She scooped a little chili into a bowl and handed it to Mel with a plastic spoon. "Here, taste this."

"It's not spicy enough." Mel said, handing the bowl back to Gemma with a shake of her head. Gemma scoffed and pointed at Clay.

"I told you it wasn't spicy enough! I think your tastebuds are going out!" She yelled as she started to dig in a plastic tub. Mel laughed and stepped away from Chibs to say hello to Donna.

"Hey, how's it going?" Mel asked, hugging her niece and nephew as well.

"Pretty good. Where have you been?" Donna asked. Opie had been irritated that his sister had left without so much as a general idea of where she would be going. She at least told him goodbye though. "You look tan."

"I was out near Monterey for a couple days." Mel didn't want her to worry about the racing so she didn't mention the racing outside of San Francisco. Donna nodded with a smile.

"Well, I'm glad you're back. Opie is doing the fireworks show tonight." Donna said, hoping Mel would stick around.

"Sounds fun. I'm going to go make sure I locked my car. I'll catch up with you later to watch the fireworks." Mel said with a smile. She hadn't spent much time with Donna or the kids and she felt guilty. She wanted to be a good aunt.

Mel jogged towards the parking lot to check on her car that she had parked a few spaces down from a group of the Sons' bikes. She tugged on the driver's side and passenger's side door handles, happy to see they were both locked. When she turned to head back, her legs went heavy and her heart slowed down. She hadn't seen him in years. She had foolishly hoped to never see him again. Her mouth went dry as she saw his family walking up to him with smiles. She took a step back towards her car, ready to leave.

"Hey." Mel recognized Happy's distinctive voice and turned around. She tried to swallow and nearly choked. "What's wrong?"

"I don't want to talk about it." Mel said, her voice sounding weak. Happy looked over her head, trying to see what had set her off. He saw a few people wandering around and a family walking towards the park but that was it. "I'm going home."

"Why?" Happy asked, looking back down into her eyes. Mel didn't understand why he was standing in her way. He didn't know her. She moved to step around him and he caught her hand. "Tell me what happened and you can leave."

"Happy, it's none of your business. Just let me leave. Please." Mel said, feeling like the open parking lot around her was closing in. She felt trapped. It was fight or flight.

"Yeah, alright but I'm making sure you get home." Happy said, stepping back to let Mel get in her car. He never thought he would hear that kind of desperation out of Mel. In the short time he had known her, she never showed that side of her.

"You don't need to do that." Mel said, opening her door and looking back at him. He was already walking his bike back out of the parking spot.

"I know." Happy said. He remembered what Opie said about Mel being off limits but that wasn't going to stop him from making sure she was okay. She was somewhat of a friend or at least a friend of a friend. He watched her shoulders drop before she sat down in her car. Happy was going to follow her to her house and then come back to the park so Gemma wouldn't castrate him. He just needed to make sure Mel was safe, for Opie.

Mel parked her car in the driveway and took a deep breath before opening the door. Happy stopped his bike out on the street and watched her for a minute. Mel sighed and shoved her hands in her front pockets as she walked over to him.

"Thank you. Do you want a beer or anything?" Mel asked, knowing he didn't have to follow her home. She appreciated his concern, even if It wasn't necessarily needed. He seemed to hesitate for a minute before putting his kickstand down and standing up. Mel gave him a small smile and headed inside, trusting he would be able to find his way in without a guide.

"Beer." Happy said, looking around and mentally mapping the layout of her house. It was habit. Mel handed him a bottle of beer with a small smile. "Thanks."

"You're welcome." Mel said, popping the top of her own beer with the opener mounted on the wall. She then walked into the living room and sat on her usual end of the couch. Happy took a seat in the arm chair and leaned back. It occurred to Mel that even though she lived alone and could sit anywhere she wanted, she rarely sat anywhere other than the left end of the couch.

Happy watched the corners of Mel's mouth turn up as she stared off into space. He didn't really think it was a joyful smile, maybe just amused or something. It didn't reach her eyes though. The longer she stared into nothing with a strange smile on her face, the longer Happy thought about what could have set her off in the parking lot. He didn't know that much about her really, only what he had heard from others and what little he'd observed himself. She was complicated. That made figuring out what happened difficult.

"I saw somebody I used to know. I never thought I would." Mel said, feeling obligated to give the man across the room some type of explanation for her odd behavior. He blinked as if to get her face back into focus. She couldn't hold eye contact with him. She was too embarrassed, even though he didn't know the story. He nodded slowly.

"They supposed to be dead or something?" Happy asked, hoping that she would relax a little. She shrugged and leaned back.

"Or something." Mel said after taking a long drink. Happy realized there was no hope in getting much more information out of her. He wasn't sure why he cared so much. Curiosity, he supposed. "You don't have to hang around here. I'm fine. You should go enjoy the fireworks and stuff."

"You aren't going back?" Happy asked. Mel swallowed and shook her head. "Just cause you saw somebody doesn't mean you've got to talk to them."

"It's complicated." Mel said, feeling herself getting defensive. Happy shook his head and finished off his beer before standing up. She watched him walk into the kitchen before her phone lit up with a message. It was from Donna, letting her know where they would be for the fireworks. Mel sighed and felt guilt wash over her. She had told Donna and the kids that she would be there.

"Change your mind?" Happy asked, watching Mel snatch her keys off the coffee table. She just rolled her eyes and motioned towards the door. Happy didn't bother asking again.

Opie was rubbing his bloodied knuckles when he caught Mel walking up to him out of the corner of his eye. He dropped his hand to his side but it was too late. He saw her brow raise in question. He shook his head. He didn't want to talk about it, not with the kids around. She pursed her lips but didn't say anything as she gave him a hug.

"Mel, you disappeared for a while." Donna said as Mel gave her a quick hug.

"Yeah, I thought the stove was still on at home." Mel lied. She felt Opie's eyes on her but chose to ignore it. If he didn't want to talk about his busted knuckles, she wasn't going to talk about her reason for leaving earlier.

"Well, come on. The show is about to start." Donna said with a smile. Mel mimicked the smile and took her little niece's hand. Ellie smiled up at Mel as they all made their way across the park. Opie watched his family until they were out of sight.

"I miss a fight?" Happy asked as Opie walked over to where he and Jax were smoking.

"More of a well deserved beating than a fight." Jax said with a satisfied smile. Opie didn't smile, he just crouched down and started checking the fireworks. "Ex-communicated guy."

"Must have been before my time." Happy said, trying to remember if anyone in the Tacoma charter had ever been ex-communicated. A couple had faced a Mayhem vote but he couldn't think of any that had just been kicked out. "I'd rather meet Mr. Mayhem."

"Yeah, he would have if it wasn't for Mel." Jax grumbled. Opie looked up at him with a scowl. "What?"

"Showtime." Gemma said, rushing up and interrupting the tense conversation. She glanced from Jax to Opie and then to Happy who seemed to be watching the shit unfold. She rolled her eyes and gestured towards the fireworks. "Does your sister need to come show you how to light a match?"

"I got it, Gem." Opie grumbled. Jax shoved off the wall he'd been leaning on and escorted Gemma towards the park to watch the fireworks. Happy watched Opie for a second, still putting pieces together. He walked off before Opie lit the first firework.

Mel watched one explosion of color after another. Her niece and nephew were sitting between she and Donna. They seemed just as enamored with the fireworks as she was. Mel took a deep breath and tried to relax. This was about her family, her blood. She wasn't going to let the past ruin the night.

"Ope, you want to grab some pizza with us? I'm starving." Mel said after the show was over. Opie shook his head before kissing the top of Ellie's head. Donna sighed as Opie kissed her cheek.

"Can't. Here, bring me a couple slices home." He said, handing Donna a couple twenties. She shoved them in her front pocket with a disappointed nod.

"Alright, be lame. Let's go kiddos. Aunt Mel is driving." Mel said with a wicked grin. Donna groaned. "Oh hush. I'll drive slower than usual."

Opie turned in the opposite direction and headed to his bike. He was ready to get to the garage and finish things. As much as he hated to admit it, he agreed with Jax. Had it not been for Mel's vote, Kyle would have met Mr. Mayhem. After everything he had done, Opie didn't understand why she let him live. He shook his head and started the bike.


End file.
